Iraq follows Qaeda coup with massive arrest operation

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi security forces killed 14 "terrorists" and arrested almost 200 suspects, the government has said, in a spectacular follow-up to their earlier capture of an alleged top-level Al-Qaeda leader.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's office announced Monday that over the previous 24 hours a large force of Iraqi troops and police swept through suspected insurgent strongholds in the Euphrates valley south of Baghdad.

Taken with the arrest of Hamed Jumaa al-Saedi, an Iraqi alleged to be the Al-Qaeda militant network's number two in the country, the arrests will be seen as a victory for Maliki's embattled government in its war with insurgents.

"Over the past 24 hours Baghdad and its outskirts witnessed a series of military operations carried out by security forces from the defence and interior ministries to achieve security and stability," Maliki's office said.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060904/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_060904121945

[izzie]

1. Well we have got the number two guy once more.

Maybe this time it will work. Bush is going to do this until they are all dead in Iraq I guess.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Rounding up the usual suspects?

[dipsydoodle]

3. I'd read

that they got 11 names from him. That made me doubt he was really #2 - think they might have left off a couple of noughts.

[eccles12]

4. When the dust settles you will read that lots of civilians were killed. n

[DRoseDARs]

5. This is what, 40 #2's captured or killed in Iraq?

No, seriously, someone's keeping a list:
http://www.blogenlust.net/2006/09/03/a-list-of-captured-or-killed-al-qaeda-in-iraq-2s

[maddezmom]

6. and Al-Qaeda denies it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2493096